The Road
by rayemars
Summary: Joey's fierce loyalty to Yugi has it's roots in their past lives.


Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Kazuki Takahashi.

The full title is "The Road to Hell." If you haven't caught on as to why it's named that by about the middle of the story, then you haven't been subjected to that particular saying a thousand times over and you're very lucky.

If you don't happen to have some vague interest in politics, this story might not be for you. It's based on the fact that a government like ancient Egypt's, which focused on a single person as the ultimate authority, requires a lot of support to function. In Egypt's case, the nobles had their place and power and all, but it was the religious cults that gave credence to the pharaoh's claim to the throne. In the New Kingdom, the Amun priesthood got exceptionally powerful, so it was a potentially dangerous situation for the kings.

The _sa_ hieroglyphic looks a little like a smashed-in and slender horseshoe, with four bands across the middle and a little rectangle on each side of the curve at the top.

Joey, Tea, and Seto's names are taken from the video game.

For Artemis Zephyr. Because sometimes I can turn down a request, but a challenge? Almost impossible.  
------------ 

- 

The guards ushered Jono through the columned hall with the roughness reserved only for one who had previously been a trusted advocate. He walked forward firmly, ignoring the pain in his arms, and made sure no emotion showed upon his face.

At the last column before the entrance to the throne room, Teana stood clasping her elbows. As they began to pass by, she lifted a hand. "Halt."

The guards hesitated, but Teana was one of those close to the king--the only one, now that Jono's betrayal had been uncovered. They stopped, and he had to stand before her.

Teana pursed her lips, but appeared uncertain what to choose for her words. Jono felt it a statement to how torn the kingdom had become that she would even for a moment believe that he would betray their Pharaoh.

He should have known that it would end as this, but he had only desired to help. He had begun hoarding the Red Eyes Black Dragon once whispers of High Priest Seto's growing dissent came to the court. He had believed that by hiding the Dragon, the priest would be unaware that the Pharaoh possessed it and thus they would an element of surprise him if an attack came.

The trouble was, in order to keep Seto unaware of the Dragon, he had to keep it from the king. And doing that meant to go beneath the Pharaoh and secretly hoard it. And that....

That had ultimately meant his actions would be misunderstood. A slave had uncovered the stone, somehow finding it despite all Jono's precautions. Word had rapidly trickled up through the court, until at last the vizier--a man beginning to favor too heavily High Priest Seto's arguments--took great delight in informing the king of the disloyalty of one of his closest companions.

Such a subversive action could not be allowed, not with such a dangerous political situation as the king currently faced. The stone was taken away and Jono arrested. And now he was being marched into the throne room, with no explanation that he could give.

"What purpose did you think this would serve?" Teana asked finally.

Jono stared at the wall ahead.

Teana waited for a moment, but when it became clear that he would not answer her gaze sharpened. She stared at him for another moment, then said finally: "Be wary. The king is angry; angrier than I've ever seen."

Jono allowed a small, bitter smile to cross his lips, and shrugged carefully, indicating the ropes that bound his arms at the elbow. Teana only watched him with worry in her eyes, and then one of the guards pushed his shoulder, telling Jono that he needed to move.

Jono made his face return to its original blankness, but to walk through this room he had been in so many times before, now as a prisoner...it was difficult. He and the guards arrived at the steps to the dais, and at last he allowed his gaze to focus on the man in front of the throne.

The Pharaoh's mask was far more cold and empty than Jono's, and he had to look down at the floor after a breath.

As the king stared down, a guard again pushed on Jono's shoulder. But they did not need to force him to the ground--he kneeled of his own accord, for he truly respected his king.

"You know why you are here, correct?" the Pharaoh asked.

"Yes, my king," Jono answered, staring at the tiles that decorated the floor before the throne.

"And to what purpose did you keep this monster from me?" The king's voice held anger, but also an offer of mercy--mercy that he couldn't take, for he couldn't give the truth.

The guards that had brought him in had stepped away, but were still within the chamber. If Jono, the closest to the king, admitted to hoarding monsters because he was uncertain that the Pharaoh would win in a duel against Seto...it would mean ruin. The Pharaoh's power would be weakened even more, and more would desert to the side of the High Priest.

He could not do that to his king. He would rather be punished for a false betrayal then be allowed to live for a true one.

"I cannot tell you," he answered.

The king's eyes narrowed. There was a slow pause, and Jono still could not bring his eyes up to look at his former friend.

"Leave," the Pharaoh ordered, waving a hand at the guards. When the two men hesitated, the king stared at them. They left quickly, though one remained beside the doorway.

Even that slight disobedience of hesitation strengthened Jono's resolve to protect the king. There were so few that were still truly loyal--he would not risk driving away **them**.

Footfalls let him know that the king was descending the steps. The sound stopped before him, and Jono glimpsed the king's sandals at the top of his vision.

"Jono...."

At the sound his name spoken in such a weary tone, his mask failed. Jono stared up at the Pharaoh, having to lean back to account for his bound arms. The king stared down at him, his face still cold but his eyes open.

"You have hidden this thing," he said, indicating the stone slab that sat in a far corner of the throne room, "and have gone beneath my authority. Is not Egypt already so troubled? Why have you done this?!"

Jono could only close his eyes and shake his head, refusing to speak.

Bitter silence snaked through the room once more as the Pharaoh stared down. Then the man began to walk around him.

"So," the king said, his voice chill, "has the High Priest's talk of power seduced you as well? Did you also think to desert?"

Jono jerked around at that. The king was standing to his left behind him, gazing out at the dueling area that composed part of the throne room. "No! I would never!" he said before he could stop himself.

The Pharaoh turned his gaze away from the stage and fixed it upon Jono again. "Your actions do not match your words," he stated. "Tell me now, what were your intentions for this Dragon?"

Jono clenched his fists, but doing so shifted the muscles in his arms and made the ropes bite deeper into his skin. "I **cannot** tell you, my king. I am ready to take my punishment, but I cannot answer your question."

"All I ask for is your intentions. If you are still loyal to me, there is no reason that you should not be able to give them." Ire at Jono's disrespect still colored his voice, but the Pharaoh's tone was coaxing, asking Jono to spare them both of his death.

Jono turned to face the steps again, and tried to bring his earlier mask back. "I am still loyal, Pharaoh."

The king strode past him towards the steps, his cloak floating out behind him on the speed of his anger. He seated himself upon the throne and stared down at Jono, eyes now as cold as his features.

"And why should I believe you, if you continue to hide your motivations from me?" he asked. "Cease this lying, Jono--if you are against me, **say** it."

He shook his head again, now denying rather than refusing. "I swear I am loyal to you, my king!"

"Though you have flaunted my laws and undermined my power?" the Pharaoh asked.

Jono returned his gaze to the floor. He had no reply to that--even out of hearing of others, to tell the king that he had saved the Dragon because he doubted his strength would be a discredit to the man and could be taken as a challenge of his legitimacy to the throne.

He had not thought it would come to this. He had only desired to help; to guarantee that the crown of Egypt and the depths of the Shadow Realm would remain in the hands of the son of the gods, his Pharaoh. But he **had** broken the laws of the king, and in doing so had dealt the man serious damage--disloyalty from one so close to the Pharaoh would disillusion many of the followers that yet remained. If he could only convince the king that he had not turned upon him....But no. All he could do now was to keep his fear of Seto's strength to himself. He had already broken so much with the king; he would not snap that final tie.

"I meant no harm," Jono whispered, mostly to himself. He knelt, with the tiles beginning to bruise his knees and the ropes making his hands numb, and waited for his sentence to be decreed.

"Bind yourself to me."

Jono lifted his head, staring at the king in confusion.

The Pharaoh was still seated, gazing down at him. "I do not want your death, Jono. So if you are still true as you claim, then bind yourself to me. Swear to me your friendship and confidence. Here and in the afterworld, prove your loyalty."

He could only stare up at the king. When he realized the extent of the demand placed before him, Jono took a breath and said, "I will."

The Pharaoh called the guard at the door and ordered Jono's bonds removed, and a blade to be brought into the room. The ropes were taken away, and Jono was rubbing his arms when Teana entered, bearing an arrow. It was most likely taken from one of the soldiers in haste to deliver a weapon to the order, but Teana's face betrayed her concern as she offered it to the king.

The Pharaoh had left the throne again and was standing on the steps before him. "If you are true, then mark yourself as my protector. Bleed for me."

Jono took the arrow, staring at the tip as it lay in his palm. His arms were still heavy from being bound; and a mark there would be visible to all that would look. He clutched the shaft in his hand and held it over the skin below his elbow.

Though he could not read, since he was not trained as a scribe, he knew a handful of symbols. The _sa_ was what he would cut--the symbol of protection.

Jono gritted his teeth at the pain as he tore open his skin with the flint tip, and Teana held her hands over her mouth as the blood dripped down to splatter upon the blue faience of the tile.

It was a crude depiction of the _sa_, since blood, pain, and a lack of training prevented Jono's hand from being steady, but its point was clear nonetheless. The symbol faced inward as it was drawn; and though the mark was meant to reveal Jono's purpose to others, it reminded him of his duty as well.

Jono returned the arrow to the Pharaoh, and though the king's face was still expressionless, his eyes were not cold.

"I will do it as well," said Teana.

When the two of them looked at her, she continued. "I will give you my protection as well, my king; I will stay with you always."

The Pharaoh nodded at that but held to the arrow, and when he spoke his voice was caring but firm. "You are a woman. You cannot protect me; but your words and presence give me strength. You do much already."

Teana was clearly upset by the denial, but bowed her head in acquiescence. As more and more began to argue with the king's rule, the two of them remained examples in unswerving obedience--though it meant keeping silent upon orders they might have argued with a few seasons ago.

The Pharaoh nodded at her, then returned his gaze to Jono. He realized, with dismay and resignation, that the king was still waiting an explanation for his deeds.

The man said nothing as he stood on the steps and Jono's gaze fixed upon the tile once more. Beside him, Jono could feel Teana's confusion grow with the silence.

At last the Pharaoh spoke, his voice emotionless. "Teana, leave us." He held out the arrow for her to take. Teana spared the two of them a glance, then with a final bow passed out into the great hall.

The Pharaoh paused a moment before taking a step down. He grasped Jono's wrist without speaking and brought his arm between them. Blood still welled from the wound, albeit slower.

Jono clenched his free hand. "It is the same loyalty that cut this which keeps me silent. My king, believe I meant well."

"You give me no reason to believe," the Pharaoh answered, letting his hand drop.

To think, that his best intentions had caused him to fall so low that his words meant nothing. It did not come as a great shock; but that did not change the fact that it was the one man he would never harm, before or after any oath, who doubted him. His arm throbbed as the blood began to dry upon it, and his chest ached.

Jono knelt again. "I will do anything for you," he promised.

Quiet settled upon the chamber as the Pharaoh studied his words, searching for a taint within them. At last he stepped down upon the tiles.

"Then I will take you at your word," the king said. "Give yourself to me. Give me everything you are, so I will see if there is deceit in you."

...Very well. Jono would pay whatever price it took to prove himself. He would lay himself bare, if it meant that he could convince the king of his loyalty.

Jono knew the even greater seriousness of what was being asked, but he did not let that stop him. "As you will, my king. I told you long ago I will do what you command."

The Pharaoh touched his head, letting his hand rest there. A moment later, he brushed aside a strand of hair that hung before Jono's eyes. "Why will you not simply tell me?" he asked quietly. "What secret is so dark that you risk wrath and death to keep it?"

_I do not believe in you as much as you need and I wish to_.

But he was now doubly bound to protect the king, whether from outside sources or the weakness of one closest to him. He would not speak before, and he could not speak now, so Jono kept silent.

The Pharaoh removed his hand. "Come," he commanded, turning aside.

Jono stood and followed him through the door to the robing room, which lead to the king's bedchamber.

-----

A frighteningly short time after, the dueling area was in flames and the High Priest's laughter echoed through the throne room. Duelists of both sides had scattered as the fire spread, and water was being brought from the bath and flung about the room in attempts to quench the fire.

Jono cast a glare out into the throne room as Seto's laughter faded in the crackle of the fire. If only it would be replaced by screams to indicate the man was being consumed by his own destruction...Jono could not think of anyone he hated more than the priest at that moment.

Unleashing a Blue Eyes White Dragon within the palace...the power the High Priest possessed was greater than he had feared. Even if he had managed to keep his Black Dragon a secret, it would have been useless in light of this new monster.

Jono stood in the robing room with Teana, watching as the Pharaoh hung the Puzzle around his neck.

Jono waved a hand at the open door leading to the throne room. Smoke was beginning to rise and the heat was growing unbearable, made moreso by the stifling air. "There are more duelists still loyal," he said. "Don't give in to the priest's petty tricks; they will fight as long as it takes--"

"And should I repay their loyalty by sending them to die?" the Pharaoh berated.

Jono took a breath. "Then I will go."

"Only I have the monsters and magics enough to defeat him," the king said.

"Yes," Jono agreed, "but if I challenge him within the Shadow Realm I will weaken him at the least."

"You would die," the Pharaoh answered. "If not by the duel, then from the strain of the Realm without an Item."

"It doesn't matter!" Jono said. "I will hurt him, either way. If you must fight him, then fight him when he is certain to fall!"

"Do you think I must have him weakened in order to win?!" the Pharaoh demanded.

If he had not been so surprised to hear the words out loud, he would have answered faster. As it was, Jono hesitated; and understanding appeared in the king's eyes.

"So that was the answer," the man said quietly.

Jono bent his head. "My king, allow me to challenge him."

There was a long pause, and then the king's shoulders fell slightly. "If you think you must."

The answer to show his king that he believed in him was that he did not think so, Jono knew. But...he was under a bond. With blood and semen, all which created life, he had sworn to protect the king forever; until the day that the Pharaoh would be led to the eternal life of the afterworld. Belief would not guarantee that the man would continue to live. That mockery of a priest could not be allowed to break Egypt apart--Jono would have to trade his life to ensure that the kingdom remained in the hands of the true ruler.

"He is the King of Games, Shadow ones most of all," Teana said beside him. "The monsters will always recognize their master. Have faith."

"With your permission, my king, I will go," Jono said.

The Pharaoh motioned toward the doorway. With a nod because he could not look him in the eyes, Jono turned and strode out.

"High Priest Seto!" he called, standing on the opposite side of the burnt dueling area. "If you wish to duel the king, you must defeat me first!"

The priest sneered and turned away. "How long will you continue to cower behind these inferior duelists, your highness? Come and stand before me!"

Enraged, Jono yelled across the pit. "Are you afraid that your monsters cannot last against me? Unless **you** are the coward, fight me!"

Seto waved his staff at the expanse of the room behind Jono. "You have no chanters, no monsters, and you expect me to believe you wish to duel? Quit this stalling."

"I need no chanters or slabs," Jono said. "I challenge you to a duel within the Shadow Realm."

Seto laughed. "Fool," he mocked, "you are not strong enough for the Realm. Don't waste my time."

Jono smirked. "If you do not duel me, you will not duel the king. For your sacrilege this day, you will be removed from the Temple of Amun; and for **daring** this treason, you will be executed."

Seto's smirk was far more malicious than Jono's own. "Truly. I would be surprised if that happened; it seems that the king has given up on executing those who go beneath his authority."

Jono tensed and narrowed his eyes. "If you do not accept my challenge, you will be killed. Now choose."

Seto's smirk faded into his earlier angry sneer. "Very well. If you wish to throw your life away, then do so. But be quick about it."

Jono glared at the priest one final time before closing his eyes. As the challenger, he was the one who had to call the Shadow Realm, and the words were complicated. He began to chant, and soon the familiar darkness enveloped the dueling area.

-----

Jono was losing, and they both knew it. Once in the Shadow Realm, he had been able to call only a handful of monsters, few of them strong enough to damage the High Priest. But his strategy was to weaken the man, and even breathing within the Realm would do that. He managed to hold on long enough that even Seto was beginning to show traces of weariness in his eyes.

But now, the Red Eyes Black Dragon had answered his call. Perhaps he would not come to the Scales of Ma'at just yet.

Flames lit up the shadows as Seto's monster was destroyed, and Jono smirked as he stared at the priest's narrowed eyes. "Can you conjure anything else for me to annihilate?" he mocked.

Seto paused, and then a mad grin curved across his lips. "Do not take me for some petty duelist," he derided. "I command power you can only dream of!" Over his shoulder, a form emerged from the recesses of the Realm.

Jono watched hollowly as the Blue Eyes White Dragon settled upon the ground.

"Dragon, demolish that inferior monster!" Seto ordered.

The White Dragon stretched its wings with a leathery flap, then reared back its head. Fire began to crackle within its mouth.

He had failed, and broken his oath. He might have weakened the priest, but he still would die, just as the Pharaoh had said. He would not be able to protect the man any longer. Jono clenched his fists.

Then the White Dragon attacked, and Jono collapsed to the ground as the death of his Dragon drained him beyond lasting. Around him, the Shadow Realm fractured, and he and the priest were returned to the dueling area. Hard stone replaced the malleable surface of the Shadow Realm, and he caught voices in the distance.

Teana knelt beside him. "Jono!" She placed her hand on his forehead, then shook him. "Jono, can you speak?" Her voice was thin and distant, as if she were calling from the opposite side of the Nile. He closed his eyes.

Even fainter, he overheard the Pharaoh and the High Priest speaking, but he could not make out what was said.

He tried to speak and failed. Teana lifted one of his hands and held it in her own. "The priest is weak. Our king will win; don't worry. You have not acted in vain."

Jono would have thanked her for the small comfort, but he had died.

A few thousand years later he was reborn, along with several others. And it started all over again, but differently this time.


End file.
